IMG Grading for the Rugby Football League is a set of proposals set out in 2022 by the British Rugby Football League's new strategic partner IMG, in which all clubs playing in the professional levels of the British rugby league system will be graded, with their rank determining which division each club will play. The proposals were accepted by a majority vote of British rugby league stakeholders in 2023 with implementation starting in the 2024 season.
The grading in the new system will see:[1]
Grades will be reassessed annually.
This will be the second attempt to introduce a "Super League licence", with the first being introduced in 2009 and scrapped in 2014 after two cycles.
Voting for this proposal occurred on 19 April 2023. All 35 British RFL clubs of the 2023 season received a vote, with Super League clubs' votes being more heavily weighted. A further seven votes were given to representatives from the community game in tiers 4 and 5 of the British rugby league system. With an overall majority needed to pass, along with a majority in each voting block (Super League, Championship/League One, and Community Game). The proposal passed 86% to 14%.[2] [3]
Championship sides Barrow, Batley, Featherstone Rovers, and Keighley, and League One sides Hunslet, Dewsbury, and West Wales voted against the proposals, Whilst Salford and Whitehaven abstained from the vote.[4]
Keighley, who had been extremely vocal in their opposition of the proposal since the start, and the only club who voted against the plans even being discussed, released a statement accusing IMG of "blinding" rugby league with "nice presentation[s] and big words", citing that their proposals "will be the death of Championship, League One, and other heartland clubs" and that the proposal was "underfunded" and had zero marketing plans, in addition to accusing IMG of "masquerad[ing] on false promises" and "lies".[5]
Despite voting in favour of grading, London Broncos owner David Hughes released a statement opposing the grading system in January 2024.[6] He cited that the inclusion of grading had "[condemned the] club to relegation before a ball has even been kicked" and as a result removed the "jeopardy and drama" from the sport. Hughes was particularly agreved with the points the club gained for catchment, being "the lowest possible", despite being the only professional team in the South East. He also affirmed that "promotion and relegation should be a staple of all sports".[7]
Each club will be awarded a maximum of 20 points across five categories:
15 points is needed for Grade A status, while 7.5 is needed for Grade B.
IMG main aim is to have the Super League made entirely of Grade A clubs and by grading clubs it highlights areas they are to improve on. Having expressed plans to expand Super League it is possible that if and when more than 12 clubs were Graded A then the league would expand to keep these clubs out of the Championship as Grade A clubs are exempt from relegation.[8] Following a statement where the IMG claimed that the chances of the Championship Grand Final winners being denied promotion were "very remote", doubts were shed over how the system would work, as initially it was understood that the remaining Super League places would be taken up by the highest ranked Grade B clubs, however this statement suggested that so long as the Championship winner and bottom placed Super League club were both Grade B promotion and relegation would occur as normal.[9] Neither IMG nor the RFL have clarified either of these issues.
Following the 2024 season, Wakefield were promoted. They were Championship Grand Final winners as well as the highest ranked Championship club, and the only Championship club to achieve Grade A. London were relegated after finishing last in Super League, and were also the lowest ranked Super League club, achieve Grade B. Thus, no answers of the above unknown were given.
Following the 2024 grading, Rugby League Commercial Chief Rhodri Jones stated that on current trend, Super League would expand to 14 teams for the 2026 season with more than 12 Grade A clubs predicted. However, this would be subject to a vote from current Super League clubs.[10] [11]
Ahead of the 2025 season, a proposal is to be discussed which would see any Grade B Championship winners automatically promoted and replace the lowest ranked Grade B Super League club, and would see Super League expand if all 12 were Grade A. During the reporting of this, it was also stated that many clubs belived this to be the system at current.[12] However, this proposal was rejected by an unknown majority vote by stakeholders.[13] [14]
Clubs' grades for 2024 (awarded in October 2023) were indicative, meaning they would have no bearing and were given out for illustrative purposes to aid clubs in making necessary improvements for the first 'official' grades in 2025.
The 2024 grades were released on 25 October 2023 and saw seven clubs (all Super League) awarded Grade A, 17 clubs awarded Grade B, and 11 clubs awarded Grade C.[15] London Skolars withdrew from League One after the 2023 season and did not receive a grade, while Newcastle Thunder, who had also announced a likely withdrawal after being relegated to League One but were aiming to keep a place in the league, still received a grade.[16]
| Rank | Club | Division | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="4" | |||
| 1 | Leeds Rhinos | Super League | 17.49 |
| 2 | Wigan Warriors | 16.87 | |
| 3 | St Helens | 16.78 | |
| 4 | Catalans Dragons | 16.73 | |
| 5 | Warrington Wolves | 15.75 | |
| 6 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 15.52 | |
| 7 | Hull F.C. | 15.05 | |
| colspan="4" | |||
| 8 | Salford Red Devils | Super League | 13.80 |
| 9 | Huddersfield Giants | 13.49 | |
| 10 | Toulouse Olympique | Championship | 12.97 |
| 11 | Wakefield Trinity | 12.52 | |
| 12 | Leigh Leopards | Super League | 12.45 |
| 13 | Castleford Tigers | 12.16 | |
| 14 | Bradford Bulls | Championship | 12.02 |
| 15 | Featherstone Rovers | 10.65 | |
| 16 | Widnes Vikings | 10.17 | |
| 17 | York Knights | 10.05 | |
| 18 | Newcastle Thunder | League One | 9.30 |
| 19 | Barrow Raiders | Championship | 9.18 |
| 20 | Halifax Panthers | 9.06 | |
| 21 | Batley Bulldogs | 8.62 | |
| 22 | Sheffield Eagles | 8.36 | |
| 23 | Doncaster | 8.11 | |
| 24 | London Broncos | Super League | 8.07 |
| colspan="4" | |||
| 25 | Oldham | League One | 7.39 |
| 26 | Swinton Lions | Championship | 7.21 |
| 27 | Dewsbury Rams | 7.10 | |
| 28 | Rochdale Hornets | League One | 7.03 |
| 29 | Hunslet | 6.94 | |
| 30 | Keighley Cougars | 6.58 | |
| 31 | Workington Town | 6.54 | |
| 32 | Whitehaven | Championship | 6.27 |
| 33 | Midlands Hurricanes | League One | 5.92 |
| 34 | Cornwall | 5.75 | |
| 35 | North Wales Crusaders | 5.07 |
The grades for 2025 were released on 23 October 2024.[27] The grades were the following:[28]
None: Wakefield's promotion would have occurred under the old system having won the 2024 Championship Grand Final; as would London's relegation having finished last in Super League.
Telegraph & Argus wrote an article applauding the system in principle but claimed it would be financially unfeasible to make the improvements for any clubs outside the 2024 top 14.[29]
RFL President Lindsay Hoyle described the system as "[rewarding those who've] got money in the bank" and "[having] something to play for [is always] the best initiative". He further criticised the removal of promotion and relegation, waring that it will reduce investment from clubs as there is less to aspire to.[30]
Ahead of the 2024 Grading deadline, Hunslet's CEO criticised the grading system saying most of the criteria is not applicable to lower league sides. Further claiming it was "demoralising" to submit the necessary data, due to League 1 sides being judged on the same criteria as Super League club. He also stated that the current system inhibits lower league sides from gaining new fans as it "portrays to the wider public, that we are a club not at the required standard". He finishes his statement by urging the RFL to take the advice of its president and fans (76% wanting a return of the previous system) and accusing the RFL of only caring about the top clubs and not learning anything in 25 years.[31] [32]
Further, League 1 club Rochdale Hornets chairman accused IMG of creating a "closed shop" and warned that the lack of jeopardy would reduce competitiveness and overall quality of the league long term. Leigh Leopards chairman Derek Beaumont, who were comfortably safe from relegation under both the traditional and IMG systems, threatened to bring legal proceedings to the league if Hull F.C. were spared relegation while finishing last at the expense of another club.[33]